Missile loader

ABSTRACT

A missile loader including two arch assemblies and a beam assembly. The arch assemblies are spaced apart, straddle and pivotally support the beam assembly at the ends. Each arch assembly has a pair of adjustable legs that raise or lower the half of the arch to which each leg is connected. By actuating the adjustable legs the beam assembly is raised or lowered. The beam assembly includes front and rear missile shoe tracks, front and rear missile shoe openings and a shuttle slidably mounted in the rear missile shoe track. The shuttle is longitudinally actuated by a continuous chain drive. In operation, the beam assembly is lowered and captures the front and rear missile shoes in the tracks. The beam is then adjusted by the adjustable legs to properly align the missile with the missile launcher. The shuttle is then actuated to slide the missile along the beam and into the missile launcher.

nite States Patent 1 Day [4 1 Mar. 25, 1975 1 MISSILE LOADER [75] Inventor: Fred L. Day, Bremerton, Wash.

[73] Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, DC.

Primary ExaminerRobert B. Reeves Assistant ExaminerLarry H. Martin Attorney, Agent, or FirmR. S. Sciascia; Charles D. B. Curry [57] ABSTRACT A missile loader including two arch assemblies and a beam assembly. The arch assemblies are spaced apart, straddle and pivotally support the beam assembly at the ends. Each arch assembly has a pair of adjustable legs that raise or lower the half of the arch to which each leg is connected. By actuating the adjustable legs the beam assembly is raised or lowered. The beam assembly includes front and rear missile shoe tracks. from and rear missile shoe openings and a shuttle slidably mounted in the rear missile shoe track. The shuttle is longitudinally actuated by a continuous chain drive. In operation, the beam assembly is lowered and captures the front and rear missile shoes in the tracks,

The beam is then adjusted by the adjustable legs to properly align the missile with the missile launcher. The shuttle is then actuated to slide the missile along the beam and into the missile launcher.

3 Claims, 19 Drawing Figures Pmmmmz 8.872.888

sum 2 [15 PMEIIIIIJI M 1872,5388

SHEET 5 (II:

LOADER LOWERED OVER MISSILE SHOES FWD TRACK OPENING 83 RWD MISSILE SHOE III SHOE i TRACK OPENING 85 LATCH I SHUTTLE 69 I I I I FWD MISSILE a) 4 SHOE I09 I I I SHUTTLE SHUTTLE LATCH 79 LOCK MEMBER MISSILE I07 F IN CONTAINER LOADER CAPTURES MISSILE SHOES LAUNCHER HITCH ll5 LAUNCHER HITCH II5 LOADER HITCH 77 LOADER HITCH FlG 17 FIG. 18

MISSILE LOADER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention.

The present invention relates to a missile loader and more particularly to a missle loader that straddles, captures, carries and slides the missile into a missile launcher.

2. Description of the Prior Art.

Prior missile loaders have had very little flexibility in adjusting to uneven ship decks and have been of cantilever or cradle type construction. The present invention is adjustable to accomodate for uneven decks and is of a suspended beam type construction.

SUMMARY OFTHE INVENTION Briefly. the present invention comprises a missile loader including two arch assemblies and a beam assembly. The arch assemblies are spaced apart, straddle and pivotally support the beam assembly at the ends. Each arch assembly has a pair of adjustable legs that raise or lower the half of the arch to which each leg is connected. By actuating the adjustable legs the beam assembly is raised or lowered. The beam assembly includes front and rear missile shoe tracks, front and rear missile shoe openings and a shuttle slidably mounted in the rear missile shoe track. The shuttle is longitudinally actuated by a continuous chain drive. In operation, the beam assembly is lowered and captures the front and rear missile shoes in the tracks. The beam is then adjusted by the adjustable legs to properly align the missile with the missile launcher. The shuttle is then actuated to slide the missile along the beam and into the missile launcher.

STATEMENT OF THE OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a loading device that can be adjusted to accomodate for an uneven surface upon which it is positioned.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a suspended beam type loading device.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a missile loading device that is used to lift a missile from a shipping container, transport the missile to a missile launcher, connect to the missile launcher and slide the suspended missile into the missile launcher.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a missile launcher that is easily assembled and disassembled for storage and portability.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of the side elevation of the missile loader of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the missile loader of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the beam assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view taken at section 44 of FIG. 2; FIG. 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the FIG. 4 view;

FIG. 6 is a sectional side elevation of the travelling nut support shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 7 is an end view of the travelling nut support of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional side elevation of the travelling nut shown in FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 9 is an end view of the travelling nut of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a side view of the arch assembly leg;

FIGS. 11 and 11A are cross-sections of the beam assembly taken at section ll--ll and 11A-11A of FIG.

FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the shuttle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is a side elevation of the shuttle of FIGS. 1 and 12;

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of the missile loader of the present invention being connected to the missile launcher;

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of the relationship of the missile loader and the missile prior to missile capture;

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of the relationship of the missile loader and the missile after capture of the missile;

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram of the initial position of the missile loader bitch and the missile launcher bitch; and

FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram of the locked position of the missile loader bitch and the missile launcher hitch.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS ots 18. As hereinafter explained in detail, the beam assembly 17 is movable in the vertical direction for lifting a missile or the like and the arches l3 and 15 are. caster mounted to transport the missile in the horizontal direction.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 10 each arch assembly 13 and 15 includes a pair of legs 19 and an arch 29. Each leg 19 includes an I beam 21, casters and associated.

supports 23, screw support member 25 and bearing support 27. As best depicted in FIGS. 2 and 4, arch 29 has attached thereto, by welding or the like, leg guide members 31 and 33. Attached to the ends of leg guide members 31 and 33 by bolts 34, for example, is arch support 35. Arch support 35 has an opening 37 through which screw 39 passes. As best shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, travelling nut support 41 is loosely supported by shoulder bolts 43. Clearances a and b, as shown in FIG. 5, are provided wherein clearance a allows travelling nut support 41 to move laterally and clearance b prevents clamping of the travelling nut support 41 to arch support 35. As best depicted in FIGS. 5, 6, 8 and 9, travelling nut 45 is retained in the center opening 47 of travelling nut support 41 by pins 49 and 51. Travelling nut 45 has slots 53 and 55 which respectively receive pins 49 and 51. Travelling nut 45 also has a center threaded opening 57 that receives threaded screw 39.

It should be particularly noted that travelling nut 45 has a spherical upper surface 59 which permits rotatable contact with the spherical surface 61 of opening 47 of travelling nut support 41.

A handle 63 is attached to the upper end of screw 39. Upon rotation of the handle travelling nut 45 will be either raised or lowered and thereby raise or lower the arch leg 65 to which it is connected. Clearance a of FIG. allows I beam 21, of FIG. 4 to slide with respect to leg guide members 31 and 33. In addition, spherical surface 61 aids in this adjustment.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 11 and 11A the beam assembly 17 includes a track 67, a shuttle 69, I beam 71, continuous chain 73, chain drive mechanism 75, launcher hitches 77, shuttle latch 79, shoe latch 81, forward track opening 83, rearward track opening 85 and forward chain sprocket 87. Track 67 extends nearly the entire length of the beam assembly 17 and includes front missile shoe track 89 and rear missile shoe track 91 as best depicted in FIGS. 2, 11 and 11A. Forward track opening 83 is formed by cutting an opening in the front missile shoe track 89 and rearward track opening 85 is formed by cutting an opening in the rear missile shoe track 91. The continuous chain 73 passes over forward chain sprocket 87 and over a drive sprocket, not shown. in drive mechanism 75. The drive mechanism includes a chain tension adjusting mechanism 93 that fixes the longitudinal position of the chain drive mechanism 75. A handle 95 is provided to drive the chain drive mechanism. Chain cover 97 is provided to protect the chain.

As best depicted in FIGS. 12 and 13, the chain is operatively connected to shuttle 69 by support dog 98 to drive shuttle 69 longitudinally along rear missile shoe track 91. As best depicted in FIGS. 1, l2 and 13 the shuttle 69 is an elongated member that extends from a point 99 (FIG. 1), that is slightly rearward of rearward track opening 85, to the rear end of the track and has elongated shoes 101 that slide within rear missile shoes track 91. The elongated shoes 101 are longer than opening 85 so that they will not fall through the opening 85 when it passes over the opening during forward and rearward travel. The shuttle 69 may be moved forward along the track and extends out past the end of the beam assembly as best illustrated in FIG. 14. The shuttle 69 is stopped when shuttle pin 103 (FIGS. 12 and 13) contacts stop 105 (FIG. 3) that is formed in the forward track segment.

The operation of the missile loader will now be explained in conjunction with FIGS. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19. In FIG. the missile loader 11 is brought over missile 107 such that track openings 83 and 85 are respectively aligned with forward missile shoe 109 and rearward missile shoe 111. The beam assembly 17 is then lowered to rest on the missile shoes 109 and 111. While in this position the shuttle is in the most rearward position wherein shuttle latch 79 is positioned in front of shuttle lock member 113 to keep the shuttle behind track opening 85. The shoe latch 81 is in the latched position (FIGS. 11A and 15). The missile capture operation is illustrated in FIG. 16 wherein the shuttle latch 79 of FIG. 15 is removed, the shuttle is moved forward by chain 73 against the missile shoe 111 which moves the missile loader 11 rearward until shoe latch 81 contacts missile shoe 111. Then the shuttle latch pin 79 is positioned behind shuttle lock member 113 which captures the missile shoes in tracks 89 and 91.

The missile is then raised out of the missile container by raising beam assembly 17 by rotating handles 63. The missile loader 11 is then moved on its casters to the vicinity of the missile launcher. The vertical position of the beam assembly 17 is adjusted (by handle 63) and the lateral position of the beam assembly 17 is adjusted (on the loader casters) such that loader hitches 77 come into contact with launcher hitches 115 as shown in FIG. 17. The missile launcher 117 is then raised (see FIG. 14) such that the launcher hitches 115 engage the loader hitches 77 as shown in FIG. 18. The launcher 117 is then depressed to align the launcher tracks with the loader tracks. Then the shuttle is moved forward by chain drive mechanism until the missile is positioned within the missile launcher 117 as shown in FIG. 14. When the missile is locked in place, by latches 119, the shuttle is moved rearward and the launcher is then elevated to let the front casters be within a few inches of the deck 121. Then the beam assembly 17 is raised to disengage the hitches 77 and 115. The missile loader is then removed and the launcher is returned to the horizontal position. The missile may be removed by employing a sequence that is essentially the reverse of that described for loading.

What is claimed is:

1. A loading device comprising:

a. a first arch assembly;

b. a second arch assembly;

c. a beam assembly;

d. said first and second arch assemblies being spaced apart and about parallel;

e. one end of said beam assembly being operatively connected to the upper interior section of said first arch assembly;

f. the other end of said beam assembly being operatively connected to the upper interior section of said second arch assembly;

g. means for raising and lowering said beam assemh. said beam assembly including a beam and a track means extending the length of said beam;

i. sliding means for moving an element positioned on said track means along the length of said track;

j. said track includes first and second tracks;

k. said first track including an opening to receive the forward missile shoe of a missile; and

I. said second track including an opening to receive the rearward missile shoe of a missile.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein:

a. said sliding means comprises an elongated shuttle mounted on said second track;

b. drive means for driving said shuttle in the forward direction on said second track; and

c. lock means for locking said shuttle rearward or forward of said opening in said second track.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein:

a. said drive means includes a first sprocket rotatably mounted on the forward end of said beam assembly, a second sprocket mounted on the rearward end of said beam assembly, a continuous chain operatively connected to said first and second sprockets, means for attaching a part of said chain to said shuttle and means for driving said second sprocket. 

1. A loading device comprising: a. a first arch assembly; b. a second arch assembly; c. a beam assembly; d. said first and second arch assemblies being spaced apart and about parallel; e. one end of said beam assembly being operatively connected to the upper interior section of said first arch assembly; f. the other end of said beam assembly being operatively connected to the upper interior section of said second arch assembly; g. means for raising and lowering said beam assembly; h. said beam assembly including a beam and a track means extending the length of said beam; i. sliding means for moving an element positioned on said track means along the length of said track; j. said track includes first and second tracks; k. said first track including an opening to receive the forward missile shoe of a missile; and l. said second track including an opening to receive the rearward missile shoe of a missile.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein: a. said sliding means comprises an elongated shuttle mounted on said second track; b. drive means for driving said shuttle in the forward direction on said second track; and c. lock means for locking said shuttle rearward or forward of said opening in said second track.
 3. The device of claim 2 wherein: a. said drive means includes a first sprocket rotatably mounted on the forward end of said beam assembly, a second sprocket mounted on the rearward end of said beam assembly, a continuous chain operatively connected to said first and second sprockets, means for attaching a part of said chain to said shuttle and means for driving said second sprocket. 